The West Coast’s Wildfoods Festival in Hokitika has been postponed for a year — the first time it has not been run in 34 years.
Like for other large events, in the end the Covid-19 Red traffic light setting’s cap of 100 people at events had made it untenable, organisers said.
Destination Westland chief executive Melanie Anderson said the had made the move with "great regret".
"We are however thrilled to be able to secure all of our 2022 entertainment for Wildfoods 2023, so you won’t miss out on our awesome line-up of Sir Dave Dobbyn, Zed, Greg Johnson and Cassie Henderson."
The festival’s new beer partner, Garage Project, was committed and would be supporting next year’s events with a Wildfoods signature brew, Mrs Anderson said.
Tickets already sold would remain valid for the new date, and people did not have to do anything.
"This is the first year Wildfoods won’t be happening in the 34 years it has been running, but we will be back wilder and more feral in 2023," festival co-ordinator Andy Thompson said.
"We really feel for our stallholders and community groups that support the festival because it is a massive part of their fundraising efforts for the year."
Anyone wanting a refund on their tickets was asked to email the Eventfinda support team by July 31.
Very few West Coast events have survived the Red setting. The largest, AgFest in Greymouth, has been postponed until spring.
Meanwhile, the Waitangi Day celebrations planned for Bruce Bay this Sunday have also been cancelled — due to the weather.
Te Runanga o Makaawhio chairman Paul Madgwick said all the planning had been in place to go ahead with a cap of 100 people on the day, but in the end plans were upended by the weather.
It had disrupted essential building work at Te Tauraka Waka a Maui Marae.
Contractors had to be pulled off the job on Monday due to the dire weather warnings and although the weekend forecast was better, they had now run out of time to catch up, he said.
The marae was now planning for a public Anzac Day commemoration instead. — Greymouth Star
